Cyber Space
was born free but is found every where in Chains. The growing
influence of Commerce in the internet space has brought with it the
inevitable restrictions in the freedom.
In any
civilized society, Community living automatically means some
voluntary curbs on freedom and privacy. So even on the Cyber space,
it is reasonable to expect that the Netizens have to give up some
part of their freedom and Privacy so that people can come together,
exchange resources and prosper. To ensure a harmonious living, it is
necessary to have reasonable regulations that resolve common
conflicts but do not hinder the basic Netizen's rights.
Striking a balance between regulation and freedom is an onerous task
and is not always successful. The regulators always feel that they
need "Teeth" to regulate with stiff laws and stiffer punishments.
Citizens always feel that they are adults and they have freedom to do
what they want.
As more and more regulations come
to play in the Cyber space, there is a risk of the regulation
strangling freedom that has been the hall mark of the Cyber society.
Since most of the regulations are today written and executed by Meta
society regulators, they tend to underplay the concerns of the
Netizens and reflect a tendency to protect the Meta Society interests
from the Netizens.
The objective of
Cyberdemocracy.org is to campaign for Regulation for Cyber Space of
the Netizens,
By the Netizens, and It is the birth right of all freedom loving Netizens.
Does this
conflict with the Meta Space regulation?.. Not if we think that
Netizens belong to a Cyber Space which has the right of distinct
existence.
No doubt every Netizen is also a
Citizen of some country and is bound by the laws of that country. Not
much different from the Citizens of one country who travel through
another country and during such temporary stay respect and abide by
such regulations as the host country may impose on them.
Do all Americans approve the laws of Saudi Arabia or China?.. Even
then, are not many Americans living in peace and harmony in those
countries pursuing their profession and business which is not in
conflict with the local laws?
Similarly, why can't
the Meta Space Citizens agree that when they act as Netizens, they
regulate themselves through a separate set of laws which apply to the
Cyber Society which has its own borders, culture and identity?
Cyber Democracy.org does not promote absolute freedom because such
freedom exists only in jungles which are un inhibited. If a space is
inhibited by 200 million persons which could roughly be the
population of Cyber space, there is a need to develop a "Responsible
Cyber Society" that respects the diversity of population and believes
in harmonious living. It will have regulation but drawn from the
community that understands the society better and need not be imposed
from the barrel of the gun of a Meta society regulator.
This may be a thought little ahead of time, but nevertheless, a
thought which needs debate and consideration.
This
site will dedicate itself to the discussion on Cyber Democracy and
invites visitors to send their comments to
Naavi.
Naavi
February 23, 2002
